Paradise Lowered

I felt grumpy, pain physically, frustrated emotionally, and tired mentally from Mon Feb 14 to Wed Feb 23, 2022. The feelings were not my fault. I went with the flow for which it didn't flow my way all the time. There were delays. I controlled little of daily life. I elaborate in bullet format below.

*Minor pain in my upper back my left side.
*Super Bowl Sunday wasn't fun. The game itself was good.
*There were too many distractions.
*Job training was mostly unproductive.
*Unseasonably warm temperatures.

Today's blog is another reminder headwinds happen. Shit happens. Conflicts happen even when a person avoids conflict. Life finds a way to provide obstacles and speed bumps to people. Nobody is immune to crappy days and crappy weeks. Strong, weak, rich, and poor. We're humans.

I admit 99.99% of the world population doesn't care about my complaints. It's expected. The response is correct. There are people like me. Our feelings are justified.

I connect the dots backwards. I reflect about what happened after Mon Feb 14 to Wed Feb 23, 2022. It's like a debriefing. Paradise lowered is temporarily. I'm still blessed. I'm still lucky. The days weren't as bad as I initially thought. The days were better than getting lost in a forest.

Update On A Past Blog

The last time I felt crappy multiple days lasting at least one week was Feb 2017. I felt close being anti-social. I wrote two blogs feeling anti-social Anti-Social For The First Time on Feb 18, 2017 and Feeling Anti-Social on Jan 6, 2014.

Don't Be Stupid The Answer Is In Front Of You

"I say Microsoft and Google have a lot in common. Microsoft never had the humanities and the liberal arts in their DNA. It was a pure technology company. And they just didn't get it. Even when they saw the map, they couldn't even copy it well. How dumb do you have to be to not see it--once you see it, you know. But Google is the same way. They just don't get it." --Steve Jobs, 60 Minutes Overtime

I thought of the quote above the other day. I understand when Jobs said, "they just didn't get it. . . . How dumb do you have to be to not see it . . ." Here is my interpretation.

There are 100 books to be better at something. The something can be self-esteem, success, parenting, physical fitness, investments, programming, home repairs, dancing, basket weaving, sports, and writing. Pick a subject. Fiction books can be included. Music, movies, television shows, foods, cars and trucks, furniture, toys, and sewing equipment can be included. 80 out of the 100 are bad. 80 out of the 100 are garbage. Toss the 80 out. 20 remain. 2 out of the 20 are the best. There are no averages. There are no so-sos. Best or worst. The numbers can be interpreted in multiple ways. 2% are the best. 98% forget them. Although, you may get something out of the 20%. 2% are the best, 18% are pick and choose the best, and 80% forget them.

Take the 2%. Copy them. Model from them. Follow them. The results are proven. Achievements are realized. The procedures are documented. The steps are printed. Don't be stupid. The information is clear, present, and obvious.

Instant Bullets Blog Feb 15, 2022

*Mulligan Stew Four Basic Food Groups. I learned the four basic food groups from the children education TV series Mulligan Stew. Mulligan Stew promoted the United States Department Of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition guidelines 4-4-3-2. The four basic food groups were milk, meat, fruits and vegetables, and breads and cereals. Mulligan Stew taught children to eat 4 fruits and vegetables, 4 breads and cereals, 3 milk, and 2 meats. The USDA replaced the four basic food groups with the food pyramid in the 1990s. Wiki Mulligan Stew TV Series. Wiki History of USDA nutrition guidelines.

*Does The Term "Aggressively Conservative" Exist? Usually aggressive means go for it. Go for the big win. Take a chance to go up. Conversely speaking, can we be conservative aggressively? Extra cautions. Slow down to a crawl. I call them aggressively conservative.

*An Illustration Expectations Are Too High. The new head coach expectations are as high as the sky the coach needs five wins in four games to impress the bosses.

*The Garden of Earthly Delights. Hieronymus Bosch painted the picture. There are multiple interpretations including indulgences, avoid temptations, and sexual joy. Wiki The Garden of Earthly Delights.

*The Breakfast Club (1985) Movie Favorite Scene. I'm in the smallest minority my favorite scene is the conversation between the principal and the janitor. Quotes are below:

Principal Richard Vernon: What did you wanna be when you were young?
Janitor Carl: When I was a kid, I wanted to be John Lennon.
Vernon: Carl, don't be a goof. I'm trying to make a serious point here. Carl, I've been teaching for 22 years. And each year, these kids get more and more arrogant.
Carl: Oh, bullshit, man. Come on, Vern. The kids haven't changed, you have.
Vernon: (sigh)
Carl: You took a teaching position 'cause you thought it'd be fun, right? Thought you could have summer vacations off. And then you found out it was actually work. That really bummed you out.
Vernon: These kids turned on me. They think I'm a big fucking joke.
Carl: Come on. Listen, Vern. If you were 16, what would you think of you, huh?
Vernon: Hey, Carl, you think I give one rat's ass what these kids think of me?
Carl: Yes, I do.
Vernon: You think about this. When you get old, these kids . . . when I get old, they're gonna be running the country.
Carl: Yeah.
Vernon: Now this is the thought that wakes me up in the middle of the night. When I get older, these kids are gonna take care of me.
Carl: I wouldn't count on it.

*Physics 60 Professor Marvin Morris. I enrolled in Physics 60 Introduction To Physics while I attended San Jose State University. The first day of class Professor Morris told the class if you can't pass the class, then change your major. The classroom was silent for seconds.

*Teens Latest And Greatest. I asked my niece and nephew what is popular and what is not popular for high school teens and junior high teens. I admit the sample size is small. Their answers may not apply to the reader's city. Anime, video games, Star Wars, and Marvel are popular. Board games, Harry Potter, music, and Family Guy are not popular.

*Netflix's Cowboy Bebop Failed. The Japanese anime Cowboy Bebop is considered a classic. Cowboy Bebop is one of my all-time favorite anime series. The Netflix version failed Netflix cancelled it after one season. My intuition tells me Netflix revised the original anime because there is a generation gap from the 1990s and today. Netflix executives changed the series because it's from anime to live action. Netflix Americanized the Japanese Cowboy Bebop. I give credit to my niece for my opinion.

*Immediate Firing. The San Jose Sharks released winger Evander Kane on unconditional wavers. The Sharks organization plans to terminate his contract for violating COVID-19 protocols. My response is why did the Sharks take additional years to remove Kane from the team. The Sharks and Kane have not gotten along for multiple seasons. My general question is why organizations take too long to remove bad people? Why does a group of people keep a bad person or bad people for which they must be removed past due?

*Good Websites. Take a look at the following websites: This Person Does Not Exist create pictures of people who don't exist, Documentaries watch documentaries on your browser, and myNoise listen to music on your browser.

*Love Chair. The love chair was invented by the Soubrier furniture manufacturer. The chair helped British King Edward VII have sex. Wiki Love Chair. Reddit King Edward VII had a custom made "love chair".

*Dysentery. You don't want to get bacterial diarrhea which is bloody diarrhea. The symptoms are fever, abdominal pain, and incomplete defecation. Causes include contaminated food and contaminated water with feces.

*Two Identification Tags On Your Airline Luggage. Airline passengers should include two tags for each checked-in luggage. The first tag is on the outside. The second tag is on the inside. Outside tags can come off. Airlines open lost luggage if there's no outside tag to return lost luggage to passengers.

*Thelma & Louise Movie Favorite Quotes. Quotes are below:

Louise: Thelma, listen up, now. If you even think he knows, I mean, even if you're not sure, I want you to hang up, you understand?
Thelma: [dials the number]
Darryl: [exchanges looks with police, then answers phone] Hello.
Thelma: Darryl, it's me.
Darryl: [with forced cheer] Thelma, hello!
Thelma: [hangs up] He knows.

Max: You know, the one thing I can't figure out is whether these girls are real smart or just real, real lucky?
Hal: Don't matter. Brains'll only get you so far and luck always runs out.

[Thelma ordering the state trooper to enter the trunk of his patrol car at gunpoint.]
State Trooper: [sobbing] Please! I have a wife and kids. Please!
Thelma: You do? Well, you're lucky. You be sweet to 'em, especially your wife. My husband wasn't sweet to me. Look how I turned out.

*San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams 2021 NFC Championship Game. The 49ers should have gone for it on 4th and 2 on the Rams 45 yard line after a failed second challenge by the Rams with 10:01 remaining in the 4th Quarter. The score was 17-14 49ers. The Rams had no timeouts and no challenges for the rest of the game. The second challenge was a free timeout for 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan for which he could have drawn up a play. "No risk it, no biscuit," said Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians.

Or Shanahan could say, "Fuck it--let's go do it" which was what John Lennon said to The Beatles when they were indecisive minutes before the rooftop concert on Jan 30, 1969 at the Apple building on Savile Row in London.

*Congratulations to the Los Angeles Rams for winning Super Bowl LVI in the 2021 NFL season. The Rams is an example of going all-in, YOLOing, the present is now, and shoving all the chips in the middle of the table. The bold moves began years ago. The Rams traded their 2020 first-round draft pick, 2021 first-round draft pick, and a 2021 fourth-round draft pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for cornerback Jalen Ramsey in Oct 2019; traded quarterback Jared Goff, 2022 first-round draft pick, 2023 first-round draft pick, and a 2021 third-round draft pick to the Detroit Lions for quarterback Matthew Stafford in Jan 2021; and traded their 2022 second-round draft pick and 2022 third-round draft picks to the Denver Broncos for Super Bowl L MVP defensive end Von Miller on Nov 1, 2021. The Rams signed wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. to a one-year contract after being released from the Cleveland Browns on Nov 11, 2021.

In addition, the Rams either won with the best or lost with the best. The Cincinnati Bengals doubled covered Super Bowl LVI MVP wide receiver Cooper Kupp multiple times during the Rams' game leading drive. Kupp caught four passes for 39 yards including his second touchdown of the game and ran for 7 yards for a critical first down.

Defense wins games. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald sealed the Rams' victory on the Bengals final drive third down play and fourth down play preventing the Bengals getting the next first down.

Rams head coach Sean McVay is the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl at age 36. Credit Rams ownership lead by Stan Kroenke for the bold hiring in 2017 when McVay was 30 at the time of hire.

*misassembled: to put the parts of something together in an incorrect manner; to assemble wrongly

Update On A Past Blog

Here is another thought for My Second Company I Worked Moved Closer To Downtown blog I wrote on Jan 30, 2022. *Everyone is winners in an up market. I remember a conversation with a broker during the dot-com recession. He said anyone can make their yearly sales targets in a market where rents skyrockets. I reword in my words, "Any bozo can make money when the economy is up. Sales, profits, investments, commissions, and interest payments."

Connect The Dots Women Because The Relationship Is Over A While Back

I'm not a dating expert. I'm not a relationship expert. Common knowledge is more women end relationships than men. Why? I have an unprofessional answer. Men knows the relationship is over before women. Some men change their behavior treating their woman differently. Passive-aggressive behavior. Communicating jealously. Lower enthusiasm. Immature adult behavior or acting like a teenager. Desperate actions. Initiating loud disagreements. Being a contrarian. Seeing another woman or cheating is included. The honeymoon period is over. The men and women true colors are exposed.

Why does men keep seeing the women? Why does men keep quiet? Why doesn't men tell the women the relationship is over? I believe men hope for a miracle. I believe men hope the relationship recovers. I believe men are cowards not wanting to be the bad person to end the relationship. I believe men stay with the women just to be with the women. If the women end the relationship, then the relationship is over men ask no questions. I believe these men waiting for the women to end the relationship are weak, lack confidence, and poor self-esteem.

Strong, confident, and high self-esteem women end relationships with weak, lack confidence, and poor self-esteem men immediately. These women know what they're looking for. These women cut their losses. These women don't waste time with losers. The men's true colors are exposed. The women leave quickly. The women move on tomorrow. Likewise, for switching genders women to men in the paragraph.

Students Learn Money Talks And Money Begins The Flow

The Oakland Unified School District Board Of Education (OUSD) approved closing or merging schools by a vote of 4-2 with one abstained on Tue Feb 8. OUSD projected a budget deficit of $20 million over the next two years. 35% of its campuses are underenrolled. School funding is based on enrollment. The factors for declining enrollment include lower birth rates, COVID-19 pandemic, and increase living costs. Two schools close at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Five schools close at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Two schools merge at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. Two schools eliminate junior high grades 6-8 at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.

The Alameda County Board Of Education instructed OUSD to cut its budget. The county wanted OUSD to be financially stable and minimize debt for the next three years. OUSD responded to the county saying they needed more time to make budget cuts.

I speak from experience. School closures happened to me. My high school district closed two schools during an economic recession. I graduated at another high school in my senior year. Disappointed? Yes. Unfair? Yes. Bad timing? Yes. Bad luck? Yes. Necessary? Yes. The school I attended in my second grade and third grade closes at the end of the 2021-2022 school year for the same reasons as OUSD.

An Adult Lesson For The Children

I repeat the one-word lessons: disappointment, unfair, bad timing, and bad luck. The four sucks when it happens to them. The school closures are a good opportunity parents teach their children. We do everything correctly. We worked together. We fought. We didn't get the result. We lost. There are winners. There are losers. There are changes for better or for worse. The short answer in plain English: deal with it. I wished I learn the lesson when I was in my teens. Nobody taught me.

An OUSD performing arts teacher and a community school manager are in a hunger strike. In my opinion, the hunger strike is a bad lesson to protest. Blame the system. Blame the pandemic. The teacher and manager are better off continuing their jobs teaching their students the life lessons from the closures. Can the two find $20 million?

There are exceptions to money talks and money begins the flow. I watched a Walmart documentary. There were local cities who voted against a Walmart store. Obviously, a Walmart store brings tax revenue and jobs. The opposition people have spoken. The main reason was a Walmart closes local businesses. The local governments agreed with their constituents. Another exception is a nearby city commission where I live voted against an In-N-Out restaurant. The opposition people have spoken. The main reason was the local roads can't handle the increased traffic. The In-N-Out restaurant proposal never made it to the city council for a vote.

I Solved My First Sudoku 5,972 Days Later

Today's blog is an update on a past blog.

Update On A Past Blog

I blogged I'm Tired Today Because I Tried Sudoku on Sep 28, 2005 when I played Sudoku for the first time on Sep 27, 2005. I played the game from after dinner to 2:30am. I read the instructions which were easy to understand. I was half awake the next day at work.

There was no rational explanation why I couldn't solve the puzzle. I couldn't assign the numbers from one to nine for each of the nine rows, nine columns, and nine 3x3 grids. Maybe it was an intermediate puzzle level. Maybe it was a bad idea learning a new game before going to sleep. Maybe I failed to understand the suggestions for beginners.

I played Sudoku on Wed Feb 2, 2022 after seeing the puzzle in a Python book. I read the instructions. I played online at Sudoku.com. I selected the Easy difficulty. I solved the first puzzle which appeared. The screenshots are above. I played a few more games. I downloaded Microsoft Sudoku on my desktop. I solved easy level and medium level. The game is addicting. I stopped playing the game on Sat Feb 5 because of more important priorities.

Boring Is Inexcusable To Complete Responsibilities

Sun Feb 6 was not a fun day. Sun Feb 6 was a catch up, productive, and boring day. Crossed out the to-do list. Checked off the checkboxes. Eliminated the delays. It was a free day the grown-up version. It was a free day not the playtime version. It was the free day the mature adult version. It was a free day not the irresponsible adult version. I use the free day as an advantage to fulfill obligations:

*Updated my new medical insurance information.
*Washed dishes.
*Researched kitchen knives.
*Reorganized and deleted files and folders in my laptop.
*Ate cooked leftovers for lunch and dinner. They were better than eating processed foods.
*Checked emails.
*Job searched. I search for jobs on weekends.
*Reviewed life skills. I maintain knowledge by repetition.
*Learned how to use a new headlamp I received from Christmas 2021.

I needed additional time to complete one more responsibility earlier today. I organized my recent finances. I traded the organizing for watching a movie last night before I went to sleep. The movie I watched was The Proposal starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, and the late Betty White.

Update On A Past Blog

The Sun Feb 6 got them done day was another day to practice complete priorities, no more delays, behave maturely, and act professionally. The sentence summarized The Correction To The Correct Growing Up Part 2 written on Wed Oct 7, 2020. I wrote, "'[be] loose, joking around, having fun, smiling, socializing, yet there were professional and mature. Nobody complained. Nobody was a jerk, a bitch, and an asshole. . . . The lesson I learned is personality.' Unfortunately, the lesson was false. I lived a life being too loose, joking around too much, having too much fun, uncontrol smiling, immature socializing, and not being a professional and not being mature."

There is common knowledge make tedious tasks or boring tasks fun. Sometimes the fun can't be done. There is no choice. Stop being lazy. Do the work. Complete the assignment. Reward with fun later.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog January 2022

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. 2022 started with the continued omicron surge. The surge eased at the end of the month. Headlines stated there is talk about the pandemic ending. Some experts agree normal life is coming soon. Some experts disagree people must continue to be vigilant. The Jan month was a welcome slow pace.

Sun Jan 2. The Holy Cross Health hospital in Fort Lauderdale, FL temporarily closed its Labor And Delivery Unit due to COVID-19 cases increasing and staff shortage.

The average cases in the US is 400,000 a day. Hospitalizations increased.

Mon Jan 3. Ran quick errands at the post office and Safeway. One customer wanted to ship a package Express Mail even though the package is mailed in the same city. The postal worker suggested Priority Mail. I purchased bread at Safeway.

The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Pfizer booster shot for children ages 12-15. The booster shot is administered as early as five months after their last shot.

Children hospitalizations increased. Most of the children were unvaccinated.

Tue Jan 4. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) recommended shortening intervals between the initial shot and the booster shot for the Pfizer vaccine from six months to five months. The Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines remain six months apart. The CDC recommended children ages 5-11 with weaken immune systems and who received the Pfizer vaccine be administered with a booster shot 28 days after the second shot.

The US reported 1,000,000 daily cases for the first time.

Wed Jan 5. The West Contra Costa Unified School District closed its schools because of COVID-19 cases increased. 28,000 students attended classes by remote. Schools were planned to be closed on Fri Jan 7 and Mon Jan 10 for classroom deep cleaning.

California extended the indoor mask mandate to Feb 15. The previous mandate was set to expire on Jan 15. Indoor mask mandate applies to all public space indoors and government offices serving the public.

The CDC endorsed the Pfizer booster shot for children ages 12-15.

Fri Jan 7. 503 teachers at the Oakland Unified School District called in sick--a sick out to protest poor COVID-19 safety. The teachers' concerns were poor masks and lack of testing for students. 12 schools closed.

Hayward Unified School District located 20 minutes south of Oakland announced all classes are taught online next week due to the COVID-19 surge.

Florida reported 800,000 to 1,000,000 unused and expired COVID-19 test kits. State officials said there was no demand for the testing kits.

Sat Jan 8. Indoor visitors in California senior care facilities must be fully vaccinated and boosted if eligible and tested negative within two days. Outdoor visitors a negative test is required.

California Governor Gavin Newsom activated the California National Guard to support COVID-19 testing sites.

Watched the first half of the Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles football game.

Sun Jan 9. Watched the San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams from the middle of the third quarter to overtime. Watched the Los Angeles Charges at Las Vegas Raiders from the fourth quarter to overtime.

Mon Jan 10. Some Bay Area hospitals delayed adult elective surgeries requiring overnight stay to free beds for COVID-19 patients.

Sonoma County issued a health order all indoor gatherings 50 or greater and outdoor gatherings 100 or greater are banned if people can't socially distance themselves. The health order is enforced from Wed Jan 12 to Tue Feb 15. Schools are excluded. The county positively rate was at an all-time high 16.5%.

Tue Jan 11. The City Of San Jose approved a COVID-19 booster mandate for city workers and attendees at city-owned indoor properties such as the SAP Center and convention center.

Wed Jan 12. Tire rotation and tire balance my car.

More businesses and services require an appointment for crowd control.

Newsom predicted an end to the pandemic in the near future. California set an all-time daily high 143,000 new cases.

The City Of Oakland required proof of vaccination at indoors spaces starting on Feb 1. The indoor spaces include restaurants, coffee houses, bars, and indoor events.

President Joe Biden announced 10M COVID-19 tests available to schools. Private insurers are required to reimburse their customers for tests. The federal government website to order four tests per household is online.

The FDA commissioner said omicron is like a natural disaster. Hospitals and essential services must be ready for the pandemic to get worse.

Thur Jan 13. Ran errands at the post office, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Walmart Neighborhood Market.

The Supreme Court struck down Biden's vaccine mandate for companies employing 100 workers or greater. The vaccine mandate is okay for health care workers. The majority ruled the Biden administration overstepped its authority giving the Occupational Safety And Health Administration (OSHA) the power to enforce the mandate. The minority ruled the court ignored health experts in making a lawful decision.

Sat Jan 15. Watched the second half of the Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals.

Sun Jan 16. Watched the second half of the San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys.

Mon Jan 17. Moderna and Pfizer/Bio N Tech are developing omicron vaccines. They expect the booster shots administered annually during the global pandemic.

Thur Jan 20. The City Of San Francisco reported declining cases. 2,164 average cases per day on Jan 9. 1,705 average cases per day on Jan 12.

Fri Jan 21. A federal judge blocked Biden's Executive Order requiring federal employees to be vaccinated.

The CDC reported the number of children with COVID-19 reached a pandemic high.

Sat Jan 22. Watched the Bengals at Tennessee Titans at the 13:00 in the fourth quarter. Watched the 49ers at Green Bay Packers at the 7:00 in the third quarter.

98% of all coronavirus cases are omicron.

Sun Jan 23 Watched the Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the 5:00 in the third quarter. Watched the Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs at the 12:00 in the fourth quarter.

Mon Jan 24. A new omicron variant was detected in 40 countries.

The deadline for all workers in high-risk settings must be fully vaccinated in Santa Clara County passed. These workers include health care, first responders, nursing facilities, jails, and shelters. Non-fully vaccinated workers must be reassigned to lower risk work environments. Wavers are accepted.

Wed Jan 26. CA hospitalizations down to 15,000 from 22,000 at the peak. The positivity rate down to 15% since the start of the month. 11 cases of the omicron variant detected.

Thur Jan 27. People in the City Of San Francisco can stop wearing masks indoors such as offices and gyms if everyone is fully vaccinated and boosted starting on Tue Feb 1.

Sun Jan 30. Watched the Bengals at Chiefs at the 8:44 in the fourth quarter. Watched the 49ers at Rams.

Mon Jan 31. The FDA fully approved the Moderna vaccine. Moderna markets their vaccine under the name Spikevax. 211M Americans are fully vaccinated. 86M are boosted.

Update On A Past Blog

One of my morning routine includes practicing Morse Code. I self-realized practicing Morse Code a morning mental exercise or a wake me up activity. I wrote a blog How I Learn Morse Code on Apr 28, 2021. In addition, I listen to either classical music or The Beatles while I eat breakfast.

I remind myself I need to stretch my body when I get up from bed.

Tom Brady NFL Success From Being Drafted To Retired And Beyond

Future hall of fame and 15-time Pro-Bowl quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement on Tue Feb 1, 2022. The 44-year-old Brady played in the NFL for 22 years. He played for the New England Patriots 20 of the 22 years and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the last two years. Three-time MVP in 2007, 2010, and 2017. Seven Super Bowl champions in ten Super Bowl appearances with five Super Bowl MVPs. He is the NFL leader in touchdown passes with 624, pass completions with 7,263, passing yards with 84,520, and playoff game started with 47. He ranks eighth in passing yards per game with 265.8. Brady is the G.O.A.T Greatest Of All Time.

Brady is one of the best examples of success. Brady is given a chance to play in the NFL. The Patriots drafted Brady in the 2000 NFL Draft in the sixth round and 199th pick overall from Michigan. Who he is, what he does, and how he does it after Brady is drafted matters. Seven-time Super Bowl champion. Who he is, what he does, and how he does it after Brady is retired matters, too. He retired as the NFL G.O.A.T. He spends more time with his family and his business. The afterwards is more important than the beforehand. The idea applies to life. A person or company is awarded the contract. A person is given a job offer. A couple is married. Great. The door is opened. The selection is final. Who the person or the people are, what the person or what the people do, and how the person or people do afterwards matter. The idea applies to negative life moments. A divorce, a loss of job by firing or layoff, and a medical emergency are examples.

Support, opportunity, and luck are part of Brady's G.O.A.T. There is support from family, coaching, teammates, business partners, agents, and personal aids; in particular, wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends who catch footballs. The opportunity was Brady replaced injured quarterback Drew Bledsoe on Sep 23, 2001. Brady won his first of seven Super Bowl in the 2001 season against the St. Louis Rams. Luck favored Brady including defensive penalties extending fourth quarter comeback offensive drives and Malcom Butler's interception in Super Bowl XLIX in the 2014 NFL season resulting in Brady's fourth Super Bowl championship.

Also, breaks are part of Brady's G.O.A.T. There were breaks such as the 2001 AFC Divisional game between the Patriots and the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders led the Patriots 13-10 in the middle of the fourth quarter. Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson tackled Brady fumbling the football recovered by linebacker Greg Biekert. The officials initial call was a fumble. The official reviewed and overturned the initial fumble call because Brady tucked the football resulting in an incomplete pass. The Patriots scored a tying field goal to even the score at 13-13. The Patriots won the game 16-13 in overtime. Another break was Brady and the Deflategate scandal. The Patriots used an illegal method to lower the air inflation in their footballs unknowingly to Brady. Brady served a four-game suspension because the NFL believed Brady knew the footballs were deflated. A four-game suspension was a small deal in comparison to the original NFL suspension one full season 16 games. The Patriots was fined $1 million and lost two selections in the 2016 NFL Draft. Footballs with less air makes them easier to grip, throw, and catch.

And timing is part of Brady's G.O.A.T. Timing favored Brady because the NFL changed the rules in quarterbacks tucking the football and officials checking the air pressure in footballs before games are played.

Chance, support, opportunity, luck, breaks, and timing rephased as timing, luck, chance, opportunity, breaks, and support are factors to become successful. Afterwards is more important than beforehand.

Pic credit: ESPN Sportscenter.

Stop And Smell The Roses And Read Your Receipt

Fast-in and fast-out grocery service may benefit the store. Today's fast pace Information Age lifestyle most customers don't read their receipts. Most customers don't check for errors. Most customers don't need a receipt, and if they are handed a receipt, they throw it away at the nearest garbage can. If there are errors, most customers shrug because they don't have time to correct the error. The error is a couple of bucks or pocket change. It's not worth the time because of priorities. Also, some receipts are confusing to the consumer no time to read.

In addition, there are no price labels, incorrect price labels, or incorrect item description price label on the shelf for a few of the items. Most customer don't read the labels. They see the item, they trust the store's price system, they pay, and they leave. There is no time to question. Higher priorities.

The fast pace and the confusing receipt happened when I shopped at one of the two grocery stores in the morning. I shopped fast. I doubled my thought process asking and telling myself, "Do I need it? Can I wait? The price is too expensive." I placed my groceries on the cashier conveyor belt fast. I read my receipt after I paid. There was a missing discount.

I talked to one of the managers. The manager looked at the receipt. She was confused, too. She checked the weekly sale ad. Confusion continued. The manager accepted my refund request. She gave me the refund receipt.

I arrived home. I compared the price on the sales receipt and the price on the refund receipt. The sales receipt was the sale price. The refund receipt was the full price. The missing discount wasn't printed on the sales receipt. I did the math. The sale price on the sales receipt was correct after subtracting the discount from the full price. If I did the math after I paid, then I didn't need to return the item.

Stores Avoid Confusion. Sell Fair And Square.

Corporate executives shouldn't confuse the customers. If the price confusion catches on, then some customers take advantage of their confusions. Give it time. Management stops caring. Management accepts refund requests no questions asked. Management is paid too low to care. Some customers stop shopping at the store because they don't want to be scammed. Put the effort for accurate price labels and item descriptions. Receipts should be quick to comprehend in seconds for customers and store employees. Everyone wins fair and square.

Takeaways

I didn't eat breakfast before I shopped. I lacked focus. My attention to detail was weak. I was too fast. Haste made waste. I wasted time talking to the manager for which it shouldn't happened. I should have slowed down. Ironically, I slowed down shopping at the second store. I told the casher who rushed bagging my items to take her time.

I should have woken up earlier to eat breakfast instead of rushing out of the house. I said rush again.